NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has been monitoring the dust storm since it began from MRO's vantage point in orbit, and for the first time the spacecraft has detected signs that the storm is slowing down. According to the data, more dust is falling out of the sky than is getting pulled up by winds. With luck, the storm will begin to dissipate within the next few weeks.

Once it does, the Opportunity team has a difficult task ahead: determining the health of the rover and whether its mission can continue. Opportunity has been out of communication with the Earth since mid-June, and with the storm blocking both communications and sunlight, it’s likely that Opportunity has been pretty much out of power for a while now.

Once the dust storm finally fades, the Opportunity team will start sending signals to the rover in an attempt to reestablish contact. Assuming Opportunity isn’t completely dead, the team should be able to receive some sort of signal back. Once they do, they’ll be able to determine just what kind of shape the rover is in.

The biggest worry is Opportunity’s battery. Going so long without recharging the battery might mean that electricity levels have fallen too low, and the battery could sustain permanent damage as a result. Without a powerful battery, Opportunity might not be able to keep itself warm during the long winter nights, eventually bringing the mission to an end.

There’s also the possibility that temperatures during the dust storm were too low and Opportunity is already dead. NASA’s experts think that’s unlikely, however, because the dust storm itself can deliver some heat to the rover. There’s also a small chance the dust could clog or damage systems, but again NASA thinks that’s unlikely.

No matter what happens, there’s really nothing for any of us to do but wait and hope for the best. Opportunity has survived on Mars for nearly 15 years without serious trouble, so it’s likely in the best possible position to survive this storm.

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